Kroeker & Craig’s “On Being a Writer,” chapter 9

It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer.

That quote of E.B. White’s is at the end of “Charlotte’s Web.” It’s one of my favorites. In honor of that, I now have a new stuffed animal, who accompanies me in my writing.

Of course, I named her Charlotte.

(Hope I didn’t scare anyone out there who is not a spider fan.)

I used to engage a lot more. I have a wonderful, supportive writers group that I haven’t attended much lately because I went through a prolonged busy season and then changed my workout routine, and all of a sudden I wasn’t going anymore. It’s a shame, too. I always get something out other people’s sharing, even when I don’t bring anything.

The same goes with online. I used to be much better about reading friends’ blogs and the posts from different online venues that I enjoy. Now I’ll sometimes go days without reading anything.

Going to Ann & Charity’s workshop in November was something new for me and something I enjoyed. Last year I also attended a two-day workshop, but only because I was presenting poetry. I did meet some neat people, though, and it inspired a couple of things—a chapter, a poem, a column.

I think I’m in a different season than I used to be. I haven’t figured out how this one works yet.

Comments

Life evolves and calls for new experiments–some will work, some won’t. I hope you find some kind of connection again, though, because from this post it seems you drew something valuable from each event you described. Even here, interacting in the comments, creates a small connection with others. Thank you for inviting us in with your stories, and allowing conversation about it. I think this is good.

I’m not good at this. I’d rather sit with a person one-on-one and that’s hard to do in a public place like a blog. Even when I run I try to go where no one will see me. But, like you, I always enjoy and learn when I step out of my comfort zone. So I guess the moral of the story is I should do it more.